j u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 1 02 2

Though a number of popular clover products are marketed for wildlife use today,

you may not be familiar with a more recently developed variety that’s been

proven a powerhouse in production and persistence. Marketed by Pennington Seed

Company, Durana white clover was a relative newcomer to the wildlife seed market

in 2006, the same year it was established as part of a quality deer management pro-

gram on our family’s hunting property in central Alabama.

Luckily, good neighbors with similar QDM objectives have made managing for

quality deer on our small (210 acre) property a realistic goal and a proven success.

No doubt some of the deer harvested had home ranges beyond our property lines.

Our philosophy when it comes to attracting whitetails is, “He who has food is king.”

Because of its reputed long-lived and hardy characteristics and high nutrient value,

Durana was chosen to help attract and hold more deer, maximize long term forage

By tes Randle jolly

tes Randle jolly is a freelance writer

and photographer. Contact her at

jolly’s Outdoor Visions, 334-727-

4327 for forestry, wildlife and outdoor

photography projects.

Durana: The Durable White Clover

Durana clover established in timber equipment access lanes after the first

thinning of pines provide excellent deer hunting areas, “green firebreaks”, bug-ging areas for wild turkeys, and travel

routes for equipment.

V O l u M E 1 0 , I s s u E 4 2 3

production, and maintain cost efficien-

cy to fit our limited budget.

Four years later, the clover continues

to thrive. And except during drought

conditions, a variety of wildlife utilize it

nearly year round as evidenced by

observations, trail camera photos and

exclosure rings. It has survived scorch-

ing drought, prolonged wet periods,

heavy browsing, limited management

situations, and weed and grass competi-

tion. This article isn’t intended as a sales

pitch for Durana though our experiences

have been positive and worth sharing.

Putting Down RootsMy parents purchased the Randle

Farm to relocate the family business in

1987. It was literally a jungle of over-

grown agriculture fields and pastures, a

small creek, mixed timber blocks, and

swampy wetland. The farm had lay idle

and un-hunted for eight years. Deer

seemed to be everywhere, using the tan-

gled fields for security, bedding and

feeding. As avid hunters we wondered

how clearing many of the fields, which

we needed for the business, would

affect the local wildlife. Food plots

were established within several of the

reclaimed fields to offer cool season

crops during hunting season. The term,

quality deer management, wasn’t in our

vocabulary at the time and for years we

simply managed winter food plots for

hunting with goals of seeing numerous

deer and to fill our freezers.

My husband, Ron, joined the habitat

management efforts in 1996 adding his

energy and expertise. By 2002 there

were sixteen food plots totaling 20

acres strategically situated, designed,

and managed not only for hunting but

as locations for my wildlife photogra-

phy and Ron’s video work with the

Alabama Department of Conservation

and Natural Resources. We experiment-

ed with plantings of warm and cool sea-

son crops such as chickory, vetch, peas,

lab lab, Austrian winter peas, ladino

clovers, brassicas, and various cereal

grains to attract deer and wild turkeys

on a year round basis. The clovers

proved the biggest challenge to grow

and remain cost effective. The ones we

tried were highly attractive and nutri-

tious but didn’t possess the drought and

grazing tolerance we needed in a clover.

In 2006 we learned about Durana clo-

ver at a hunting trade show. Alabama

had been experiencing years of drought

conditions so we were interested in the

plant’s reputed drought tolerance and

overall hardiness. That spring a two-

acre area of old bahia/bermuda grass

pasture in the interior of the property

was set aside for a Durana clover plant-

ing. Situated adjacent to a young pine

plantation, the plot drains well except

for two wet areas on the lower side.

One end of the plot is shaded more than

half the day. Planting preparation began

with an application of glyphosate using

a boom sprayer and tractor to kill exist-

ing grasses. Post kill, the ground was

disked to break up the sod.

Severe drought conditions prevailed

most of the 2006 summer when we

applied lime according to soil test rec-

ommendations. In-mid September and

prior to a welcome rain, the area was

disked and rolled to create a smooth

seedbed, then broadcast with 250

pounds/acre of 19-19-19 fertilizer. A

mix of 5 lbs./acre of Durana and 50

lbs./acre of wheat was broadcast then

covered using an ATV and roller.

Fall and winter rains enabled the clo-

ver to establish a uniform stand. The fol-

lowing spring deer, turkeys, and rabbits

were visiting the plot. When the wheat

matured the plot was bush hogged to

expose the clover. The summer of 2007

tested the crop’s hardiness as it was sub-

jected to record drought conditions in

July and August. The healthy stand that

established in the spring was blooming

profusely in early summer but was

burned down by late August after weeks

of blazing heat and negligible moisture.

The mowing and fertilizer application

were skipped in the fall of 2008 because

we assumed it wouldn’t survive. Winter

rainfall was below normal too and rein-

forced our assumption. Wrong! Though

the crop appeared to have failed, the fol-

An exclosure ring provides an indication of wildlife use during various times of year.

j u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 1 02 4

lowing spring we witnessed first hand Durana’s hardi-

ness as rains returned and new growth appeared from

plant survivors and seed.

Sufficient rainfall throughout the summer of 2008

allowed the clover to recover despite our mismanage-

ment the previous fall. Bermuda and bahia grass did

infiltrate a few areas and required an application of

Poast Plus® herbicide. Deer, rabbits, and turkeys kept

the clover clipped all summer. By late August the plot

was still blooming when it was mowed for the first

time. We didn’t skip the September application of 0-20-

20! By hunting season in the fall the plot was a lush

deer magnet as evidenced by worn trails leading from

neighboring property lines. Trail camera photos and

personal observations revealed doe, yearling, and fawn

groups and a bachelor group of bucks in velvet making

regular visits to the field throughout the summer. One

buck in particular was a trail camera star from June to

December. We nicknamed him Hoss for his hefty size.

Weather conditions during 2009 were generally

favorable. During the summer months, exclosure rings

and observations showed deer fed more in the shaded

areas where clover is protected from sunlight. Grass

and weed competition became a maintenance issue

requiring herbicide application and mowing. Looking

back, we should have been more diligent about spray-

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Southeast: What can we expect from

Habitat Management?By Wes Burger and Leslie Burger

Economical Food Plot Management

Strategies – Maximize Your Dollar

By Jed DeZelleTilapia – The New Super Fish

By Jeff SlipkeCogongrass Crisis: Wake Up

Call to the SoutheastBy Tes Randle JollyWestervelt Wildlife

Management CalendarBy Dave Edwards

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V O l u M E 1 0 , I s s u E 4 2 5

ing when the grass was small and easier

to control and procrastinated less with

liming when needed. We’re continually

impressed with how the clover endures

despite management budget limits,

sometimes less than perfect manage-

ment, and factors beyond our control.

The planting survived record cold

temperatures last winter and extended

wet periods in the low areas this spring.

As of early July, summer is shaping up

to be a dry one. Only two .10 inch dust-

settling rains have been recorded since

May 30th. Despite the dry weather,

almost every evening we observe a

bachelor group of 10 bucks in velvet

nipping at the Durana. Our plan is to

replant next year and add Durana along

an edge in several annual food plots.

We are seeing positive results in deer

harvest data from 2006 to the present

with a steady increase in body weights

and improved antler development. Since

then we’ve followed a program to avoid

harvesting 2 1/2 year old bucks that

was developed by a commercial bow

hunting destination, Tara Wildlife in

Mississippi. Ron had filmed and hunted

there over a ten-year period and wit-

nessed the results.

A buck must meet any three of the

five following criteria:

*16 inch inside spread

*185 lbs.

*18 inch main beam length

*4 inch antler circumference

*6 inch or better tine length

The previously mentioned buck

named Hoss was photographed again in

2009 in and around the Durana plot. I

tagged the 4 1/2 year old on January

28, 2010. The eight point buck had a

20-inch inside spread and weighed

225lbs. Incredibly, I was blessed to har-

vest two additional heavy antlered 4 1/2

year old bucks earlier the same season

weighing 210 and 225 pounds.

Allowing young bucks to reach their

potential and improving long-term

nutrition are proving key to achieving

QDM on the Randle Farm. Durana clo-

ver is one of many forage options avail-

able in our habitat management pro-

gram but certainly it’s proven the hardi-

est and most attractive to wildlife on a

nearly year round basis.

History and DescriptionDurana, (Trifolium repens), earns a

five star rating for production, nutrition,

and attraction in QDMA’s Quality Food

Plots guide. The clover is classified as

drought and shade tolerant and will toler-

ate wet conditions and a wide pH range.

Its greatest attributes weren’t developed

by accident. Kent Kammermeyer is a

wildlife consultant, certified wildlife

biologist, and senior technical advisor for

QDMA and authored the book’s species

profile on Durana. He has over a decade

of experience with the product and par-

ticipated in test plantings previous to its

release in 2003.

According to Kammermeyer there

had long been a need for a persistent,

productive, long-lived clover that could

withstand competition in a mixed stand

with perennial grasses and other

Using an ATV and roller, (pictured here), or cultipacker ensures good soil to seed contact when planting clover. Most crop failures are due to planting the seed deeper

than the recommended 1/8 to 1/4 inch depth.

Durana white clover is a prolific bloomer over long periods making it a reliable reseed-er if the seed bank is ever needed due to plant die off from severe summer drought.

j u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 1 02 6

aggressive plants. Kammermeyer

reveals how prominent plant breeder,

Dr Joe Bouton, while at the University

of Georgia, initiated an aggressive

white clover program. He visited pas-

ture sites in Georgia to collect stolon-

dense white clover varieties growing

naturally and competitively that had

survived hot, dry summers. His goal

was to develop a persistent white clover

similar in nutritional and agronomical

attributes to ladino clovers but superior

in persistence and grazing tolerance.

The plant samples were subjected to

intense grazing with grass competition.

These ecotypes formed the parental

foundation for the breeding program.

Productive survivors were crossed and

eventually a promising entry called

GA43 (later named Durana) was select-

ed for further development.

Kammermeyer explains the legume’s

characteristics. “Durana, unlike ladino

clover, is an intermediate white clover.

Its medium size leaf and very thick leaf

density from the bottom to top on the

plant help prevent weed invasion.

Runners, or stolons average 97 per

square foot, nearly twice as many as con-

ventional ladino clovers ensuring aggres-

sive spreading and superior grazing tol-

erance. Prolific blooming occurs for long

periods making it a reliable reseeder if

the seed bank is ever needed due to plant

die off from severe summer drought.

Shade tolerance can exceed 70%.”

The following sections on planting,

production, and maintenance are guide-

lines provided in QDMA’s Quality Food

Plots guide.

Planting The legume is adapted from east

Texas across the South to the Atlantic

coast and north of a line from central

Georgia to central Texas. Below this

line Durana performs well on sandy

loam or heavy soils. It is adapted to the

Pacific Northwest, the Upper Midwest,

and New England.

Durana is acid tolerant and will grow

in low pH down to 5.4. Like other clo-

vers it will thrive in a pH of 6.0 and

above. Have a soil test performed to

determine fertilizer and liming needs

for your soil.

Planting dates:South: September and October and

February to April

North: August and April

Rate: 8 lbs. per acre or 1/4 lb./1000

sq. ft. for a pure stand

5 lbs. per acre mixed with 7

lbs. red clover (Cinnamon Plus,

Redlan-Graze II, Redland III or

Bulldog), and 50 lbs./acre

wheat (or oats or rye where

appropriate).

Note: For all spring plantings always

Aggressively growing stem runners, or stolons average 97 per square foot, nearly twice as many as conventional ladino clovers ensuring aggressive spreading and

superior grazing tolerance.

V O l u M E 1 0 , I s s u E 4 2 7

substitute oats for wheat.

Prepare a smooth seedbed disked 4-6

inches deep. Broadcast the clover seed

or mix. Apply the recommended fertiliz-

er or in lieu of a soil test, apply 300 lbs./

acre of 19-19-19 or equivalent. Drag or

cultipack the area to ensure good soil to

seed contact and a firm seedbed. Seed

should be planted no more than 1/4 inch

deep. Avoid using a disk harrow to

cover. When crop failures occur most

times it is because the clover seed is

planted too deep or the companion

grasses are planted too thick.

Durana can be successfully drilled

into grasses killed by glyphosate in

both spring and fall. Plant 3 lbs./acre

and small grains 30 lbs./acre when

using a drill.

Frost seeding: There are varying

opinions on frost seeding dates in the

South. Generally late winter in your

area is best when freezing and thawing

causes soil expansion and contraction

with the temperature changes. Planting

during this time will assure adequate

soil contact with the seed for germina-

tion when soil temperatures rise.

Fertilize in the spring.

ProductionDurana produces 75-150lbs./acre per

year of fixed nitrogen per year depend-

ing on soil and growing conditions

thereby reducing production costs by

lowering or eliminating the amount of

nitrogen fertilizer needed. How does

clover seemingly sieze nitrogen out of

the air? Clover plants have a symbiotic

relationship with Rhizobium bacterium

that live in nodules, or small, bag-like

growths on the plants’ roots. In the rela-

tionship, through metabolic processes,

bacteria fix nitrogen providing for the

plants’ nitrogen needs and in exchange

receive carbohydrates and a favorable

environment from their host plant. In

simple terms, the clover plant provides

the energy and the bacteria to provide

the tools necessary to convert atmo-

spheric nitrogen to a form available to

plants. Durana is sold pre-inoculated

with a coating of lime and selected

Rhizobia bacteria (strain B) for opti-

mum nitrogen fixation.

Durana’s protein production levels

range from 25-30% and digestibility

ranks up to 80%. After the first year of

growth, depending on soil and growing

conditions, forage yield ranges from 2

to 5 tons per acre per year.

Clover benefits companion crop plants

as it improves soil structure, increases

availability of soil nitrogen, organic mat-

ter and other nutrients, and reduces ero-

sion and weed invasion due to its low

spreading growth characteristics.

MaintenanceKammermeyer advises unhooking

Durana is planted in strips along the edge of annual food plots to provide long-term wildlife forage. The clover produces 75-150 lbs/acre per year of fixed nitrogen

depending on soil and growing conditions, thereby reducing production costs by lowering or eliminating the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed.

j u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 1 02 8

your plow and hooking up your mower.

Mow the clover down to four to five

inches 1-3 times beginning in June and

ending in August depending on weed

and grass competition. Mow once in

late August if competition is not a prob-

lem. Grassy weed management is key

to longevity of Durana stands.

The grass-selective post-emergence

herbicide, sethoxydim (Poast, Arrest, or

Poast Plus) is recommended to control

annual and perennial grasses and works

best on actively growing smaller,

younger grass of two to four leaves.

Avoid applications when grasses are

stressed by lack of moisture or mechan-

ical injury (mowing). Refer to Quality

Food Plots Chapter 10, Managing

Weeds, for detailed information.

Remember, it’s the users responsibility

to follow the instructions on the label,

including the list of crops on which the

specific herbicide can be used.

Apply a no Nitrogen fertilizer such as

0-20-30 or 0-20-20 at 300 to 400

pounds/acre once a year in September.

Some clover experts recommend an

application of 100 pounds/acre Muriate

of Potash (0-0-60) as soon as growth

resumes in early spring.

“The great majority of Durana stands

I have seen on both public and private

lands persist for 3 to 7 years or more.

Despite competition, drought, overgraz-

ing, and cold I’ve encountered very few

that I would consider a failure,” says

Kammermeyer.

Clover and Forestry/Wildlife Management

Pine trees and hunting are inter-

twined throughout the millions of nee-

dled acres produced across the South’s

timber belt. Bobby Watkins, formerly in

research and development of herbicides

at BASF is a forestry/wildlife manage-

ment consultant in Starkville,

Mississippi. Watkins is well known for

his method of blending forestry and

wildlife management techniques to

improve timber production while creat-

ing wildlife habitat, hunting opportuni-

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Cereal grains such as wheat, oats, or rye are recommended companion plants when establishing clover plots. Mow seeds stems after maturity.

The Hub and Spokes® design was developed for pine plantations. Branching from a central clearing it provides hunting/viewing areas with multiple corridors for annu-

als, perennial clover, and native vegetation management.

V O l u M E 1 0 , I s s u E 4 2 9

ties, and improving the wildlife carry-

ing capacity within pine plantations.

Two approaches utilize the wildlife pre-

ferred forage and shade tolerant attri-

butes of Durana clover.

Watkin’s Hub and Spokes® design

was developed for pine plantations.

Branching from a central clearing, it

provides hunting/viewing areas with

multiple corridors for food plots and

native vegetation management. Watkins

uses Durana clover and annual forage

crops to provide long term feeding

areas in the spoke lanes. Nearby native

vegetation and pines benefit from the

nitrogen produced by the clover.

Watkins also uses Durana clover in

food plots created in timber equipment

access lanes after the first thinning of

Blending forestry and wildlife manage-ment techniques such as establishing food plots within thinned pine access

lanes improves timber production while creating wildlife habitat, hunting oppor-tunities, and increased wildlife carrying

capacity.

j u ly / a u g u s t 2 0 1 03 0

pines. Food plot management is initiat-

ed the second year after thinning when

woody debris has decomposed.

Employing exclosure rings Watkins has

found clover utilization is better in the

spoke and access lanes than in tradi-

tional open food plots. Durana thrives

in the typical shaded conditions with

less burn down during hot weather. The

lanes and surrounding pines offer excel-

lent hunting areas as deer tend to move

through the plantation to visit the more

secluded lanes before entering open

food plots. The narrow design offers

deer security cover that’s a mere leap

away.

Watkins coined the term, “rabbitat”

to illustrate the habitat created by con-

verting access lanes to long-term food

plots within managed pine plantations.

“When I see healthy populations of rab-

bits in access lane plots I know the area

provides food, habitat, and security

cover for less visible wildlife such as

deer, turkeys, and quail,” says Watkins.

Other uses include “evergreen” clover

lanes or “green firebreaks” that don’t

require bulldozing when performing

prescribed burns. Less soil movement

means less erosion. The lanes also serve

as travel routes for equipment.

Clover lanes provide bugging areas

that attract the insects important to wild

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Of course, our main crop will always be Deep Plug Longleaf Seedlings. We offer genetically improved 1st and 1.5 Generation Longleaf along with native seedlings produced with seed from every state in the Longleaf belt. As always, our longleaf are grown in 6” Deep Plug Containers.

The author tagged this 4 1/2 year old, 225 pound buck and two other mature bucks during the 2009-10 hunting season. Since the establishment of long-term food plots

and antler requirement criteria in 2006 deer harvest data has shown a steady increase in body weights and improved antler development.

V O l u M E 1 0 , I s s u E 4 3 1

turkeys and poults. They are a great

location for bluebird houses because

fledglings have desirable habitat nearby

on their first flight. The pollen is a food

source for honeybees.

For more information on Durana

white clover visit the following web-

sites:

www.penningtonseed.com or 1-800-

285-SEED

www.qdma.com

www.deerclovers.com

www.coontailfarm.com

Reference:Quality Food Plots: Your Guide To Better

Deer and Better Deer Hunting

Quality Deer Management Association

Editors: Kent Kammermeyer, Karl V. Miller,

and Lindsay Thomas, Jr.

Bach & DeVos operates two woodland mulchers/grinders on forestry based carriers.

Other services include timber sales, forestry/wildlife plans, burning, site preparation and planting, GPS and mapping, land sales.

Land Clearing- Logging Clean-up - Firelanes - Roads

call us at 334-269-2224

Woodland Mulching: It Can Be Addictive!

This buck, nicknamed Hoss for his hefty size, was a trail camera star in 2008-09 frequenting the Durana clover plot from

spring through fall.